Meeting, Loving, Departing
by XxXxSlytherinPrincessxXxX
Summary: Hermione and Draco are two ordinary people, that is until fate comes along and decides to bring them together. Danger, love and agony engulf them both, who will survive the quest for happiness? *edited* rated T for language and suggestive scenes. ENJOY
1. Detention'ed

**Meeting, Loving, Departing**

**Detention'ed  
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**AN: I just want to point it out now, if this story, the title, the plot or anything about this seems familiar, I'd just like to direct you to the profile of MyLifeWouldSuckWithoutHeroes, if you read the bottom of her profile, it'll explain everything. I have edited it, it is different, but it more or less stays true to its original flair and spirit…I hope :D ENJOY. (PS: the characters are OOC)**

**Hermione's POV**

"You can't be serious!" I exclaimed.

"Miss Granger, we must all accept the consequences of our actions, preferably without howling like a Banshee."

"WHAT? Since when does adding a little originality to a spell entail receiving a detention? I've done it before, you didn't have a problem then, why is it such a big deal now?"

"Simply for the reason that this time you've gone too far. I cannot condone it." She pushed her spectacles up her long, rigid nose, twitching her mouth while doing it. _Witch_, I thought to myself.

"Please, I beg you to see reason here! You asked us to change our stools into Hawks, I made them Eagles. There's hardly a difference!" A lie, but still, the point stands. "Perhaps you've had an inconvenient encounter with an Eagle before, yes that must be it. That's the only plausible explanation for such an irrational nuisance!"

"MISS GRANGER! How _dare_ you speak to me in that manner! I am extending your detention to three hours! You won't be doing any essays, instead I have something else in mind I'd like you to do."

"And what might that be? Conjure a hundred Hawks?"

"Actually, Miss Granger, I was thinking perhaps lines would be suitable, but this is a much better idea! But three hours doesn't seem right for one hundred Hawks."

"Wha-? Well, yes, I mean no. Definitely not. I mean, it's me, it'll take –"

"Much longer. Yes, most definitely. Logically speaking, one hundred Hawks is a lot, even I would have trouble conjuring that number of animals in just three hours. You'll be here for at least four and a half hours, I expect you here on Saturday at 1:30 sharp."

"This is unbelievable! Impossible!"

"Improbable, actually. But as far as I'm concerned, we're done here. Class dismissed. You're all permitted to set your Hawks free, but you must make sure you feed them first. And trust me when I say, I will know if you feed them or not. If you please, you may also attempt to turn them back into stools, but _only_ if you're confident in your Transfiguring skills. Miss Granger, perhaps you better sit this one out."

_And perhaps you should go die in Azkaban._

If you're slightly lost, I'll catch you up. Basically, McGonagall told us to change the stools we were sitting on into baby Hawks. I decided it was simply not challenging enough for me so, without permission, I Transfigured it into an adorable baby Eagle instead. But of course McGonagall got highly offended, and therein started the inane rambling about my inability to follow instructions. Bloody McGonagall. And that all landed me with a 5 hour detention with this wonderful professor...great.

While we all piled out of the classroom, everyone else clutching onto their new 'pets', I squeezed on last dirty look in McGonagall's direction, she returned it with a smug and slightly warning one of her own.

_No, not perhaps, she should _definitely_ go die in Azkaban._

**Draco's POV**

"Hey, Pansy, fancy being my partner? Zabini ditched, he's gone after Zamira." Snape told us to partner up with someone for the duration of the Potions class, normally I'd prefer Blaise, but he's got his eye on some new blonde, so I was basically stuck with Pansy. Fun.

"So, what? I'm your last resort?" She retorted with folded arms across her chest.

I pretended to be affronted…I pretended to care. "No! Of course not! Just, you know…my second…" I trailed off, hoping she wouldn't hear the artificialness in my voice.

"Sure, whatever Draco. Take Carlos' seat, he left to go join Katara." I made a face at this. "I know right? It's disgusting. That freak is like 3 feet, and I _don't_ mean vertically. Even though she does slightly resemble a House-elf height wise." She sniggered at her own joke and turned to her cauldron.

I myself couldn't suppress a chuckle, despite my dislike for Pansy. She was right, Katara was an exchange student this year and she was positively revolting. I would pick on her daily if she wasn't in my own house, but even I have standards.

As I sat in the stool on Pansy's left, the remnants of Carlos' cologne smacked my right in the face. I almost gagged at the strong odour. I wondered how Pansy lived with the stench, but the answer reached me before I asked. She's been sitting next to him since first year; her nose is probably used to it by now. She's lucky.

While I was pondering the side effects of slipping Carlos a potion, basically disabling him from applying cologne to himself, I realized Pansy's conversation with herself had drifted to how interesting it would be to make a stun potion and try it out on first year Hufflepuffs, or better yet, Gryffindors.

"Yeah, sure, totally, should we get on with this? The more we make, the more we have to try on unsuspecting kids!" I honestly didn't care about the damn potion, or the 'unsuspecting kids' we'd stun, I just wanted to shut her up. Her voice irritated me too much to bear.

After glancing at the board, Pansy offered to get the ingredients. She had to shout above all the noise, everyone was talking either about the needed quantity of Dragonroot or about how frightened the first years were at the Halloween ball the other night. The seventh formers made the most of it, dressing up as ghouls, ghosts, goblins etc. but honestly? I just thought they were pathetic, and mildly offending. But then again, that's my opinion on just about everything.

While Pansy was gone, I lit a fire under the cauldron with a simple spell. The flames spat out sparks which conveniently landed on my new robes. In a few short – too short – minutes, Pansy returned, her arms piled high with ingredients.

I unloaded half the ingredients onto the table and let her dump off the rest.

"Okay, let's see," I started off, picking up random ingredients and examining them. "First it's a pinch of Dragonroot –"

"Um, Draco? I think that says a 'dash of Dragonroot'." She stated nervously, clearly uncomfortable with correcting me, and so she should be.

"Who cares? Pinch, dash. Dash, pinch, same thing."

"Hardly! A dash is _a lot_ less than a pinch, Draco! If it blows up I'll be cleaning out this cr –"

"Okay, okay. Just think about it this way, if we add a bit more Dragonroot, then the potion will be stronger and the effect on the kids will be stronger." That won her over.

"Fine, whatever. Let's use a 'pinch' then." She carefully removed the golden lid off a transparent vial. She tipped a reasonably small amount of the hair-like maroon substance into her hand and then into the cauldron.

"Okay, now for some gillywee – huh, that's odd, why do we need gillyweed for a stun potion? Anyway, Snape must know what he's doing. So, a tablespoon of gillyweed..."

"…Draco?"

"What is it this time?"

"I think that says teaspoon."

"I reiterate, _who cares_? Remember – stronger potion equals more effective on students. Isn't that what you want?" I let my irritation seep into my voice this time; she was seriously annoying me at this point.

"Yes, of course, Draco. It's just I don't want this potion blowing up in my face; I'll have to spend a month cleaning out this guck from my hair! _And_ by this point it's boiling so we'll both get burnt. Not to mention what it could do to my _flawless_ skin!"

"Flawless? Yeah, as flawless as Longbottom's arse!" It was a low blow, but still, her vanity had it coming to her.

Unfortunately, I hadn't realized we had caught the attention of the entire class, I wish I knew. I might have stopped this argument before it got out of control.

"You jackass!"

I was actually taken aback, she's never said anything like that before. Ever. So I replied: "Slut!" Yeah, I went there.

That must've broken her limit. "WELL AT LEAST I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH ON MY TRANSFIGURATION TEACHER, MAN-WHORE!"

And that broke mine. I whipped my wand out faster than Snape could say "Malfoy! What do you think you're doing?"

"Expelliarmus!" I yelled with my wand facing Pansy's face. I must've put more force into it that I thought, because she flew back, her head being the first thing that collided against the rocky wall behind her. I immediately regretted, feeling a pang of guilt. That was a stupid move, and I knew she'd never forgive me.

But honestly, who can blame me? She exposed one of my deepest secrets to an entire class! A secret, coincidentally, that she only came to know about because she overheard me telling Blaise. It was never meant for her ears and then she went and screamed it out to everyone. On top of that, it was a secret that was only valid for like a month, it was a phase. I obviously don't like McGonagall anymore, reality hit me when I heard how old she is actually is, it's disgusting basically, she's like a century old.

However, this was the first time we've used offensive spells on each other…yeah, its official. The second she gets out of the Hospital Wing, I'm transferring to Durmstrang. No way am I staying under the same roof with a girl who I simply know is going to be out for my neck for damaging her 'flawless skin'.

I stared at her limp body for a full minute – even though it felt like an hour – before Snape ran into the picture. He swiped his wand over her body and exhaled. I hadn't realized he was holding his breath. He slowly turned to face me.

"Malfoy, detention, Saturday, 6:30, be there or it's Sunday for five hours. Understood?"

I stared at him blankly before nodding jerkily. Then I ran. On my way out, I glimpsed the faces of my classmates; they were either impressed, disappointed or disgusted.

I sped up. I knew where I was headed, but I had no idea that someone else was going to the exact same place at the exact same time as me.

**AN: I tried to stay true to the original while adding a little bit of myself to it, hope you liked it :D Reviews are ALWAYS appreciated, even if it's criticism!**

**=3  
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**XD**


	2. Room of Requirement

**Meeting, Loving, Departing**

**The Room of Requirement**

**Disclaimer: Just realized I hadn't done this yet, so here goes, I am not JK Rowling, therefore I don't own anything and I make no profit out of this :D**

**Hermione's POV**

That night, I decided to skip dinner. The thought of having to face all those people who witnessed my outburst in Transfiguration terrified me, mostly because the news has probably reached Harry and Ron by now and I simple couldn't deal with their sickening sympathy. Well, Harry's sympathy, I was sure Ron would just laugh. This was the first real detention I'd ever had. Sure, I'd spent extra time after school with teachers in the past, but that was only because I was helping Harry out with the whole 'save the world' thing. I'd never actually gotten in trouble all by myself, so this was a first for me. A humiliating, mortifying first.

So I figured I'd spend my night in the Room of Requirement instead, I needed somewhere I could relax and take my mind off of how horrible Saturday was going to be. While wondering how I was going to deal with Harry and Ron the next day, I almost ran into the wall where the door to the Room was. _I need a place to rest, I need a place to rest, I need a place to rest…and some books would be nice._ I walked up and down three times before the carvings of the door finally started to appear. I immediately calmed down at the familiar sight, for some reason I'd always immensely enjoyed watching the door form itself.

I pushed the door open slightly and slipped through the crack, closing the door shut behind me. The smell of freshly mown grass and spearmint toothpaste smacked me in the face, and just like that, all my worries disappeared.

The room was more than perfect; there was a large creamy-white hot tub littered with rose-scented pink petals, there was a king-sized bed with maroon sheets that slightly resembled a love-bed and there was (to my delight) a huge floor-to-ceiling book shelf on the far right stacked with my favorite novels.

I grabbed the first book I saw and ran to the bed. I immediately sunk into it and a few seconds after it started wobbling I realized I was laying on a water bed. I was exactly like the one I had back home, a pang of homesickness hit me, leaving me close to tears. Though it had been a few months since seventh year began, I couldn't help the strong longing for my loving parents and my welcoming room that overwhelmed me. Unable to be bothered to deal with my life anymore, I started reading the book to enter someone else's. That's when I saw it.

At the back end of the room, there was a vast fogged glass; it was kind of like a privacy partition, only five times the size of a normal one. For a split second, I could've sworn I saw a shadowed figure on the other side.

I shook it off and blamed it on stress-overload, but moments later, it reappeared.

"Hello?" I prayed for silence.

I didn't get it.

"Yes?" Replied a strangely familiar voice.

**Draco's POV**

After the long and embarrassing walk, I finally reached my destination. I stopped in front of the wall and thought to myself: _I need someplace where I can overcome my shame. Also, I'd like to talk to someone, someone trustworthy, preferably some who doesn't know me very well and who will make me feel better about this whole blasted day_. It was a lot to have to think three times over, but it would be worth it if it worked.

I didn't hesitate to admire the immaculate carvings; I shoved the door open and stormed inside. I couldn't pinpoint exactly why I was so angry, besides the fact that my entire Potions class was now aware that I had a crush on McGonagall, except they think I still do. Then again, I did fling Pansy into a wall and probably stuck her in a coma. But Pomfrey could fix that, so I really didn't do anything wrong. I decided to blame my frustration on Pansy in general, I had been meaning on talking to Blaise about permanently getting rid of her, but I knew that would probably cause more harm than good to our personal well-being.

It was only after I took a few seconds to just breathe did I notice how truly beautiful the rich blue room was. There was a navy colored bed on the left and a few paces away sat a light brown armchair with cushions thar were probably bigger than Crabbe's appetite. I ran towards it, jumped and missed by about a meter, landing on my arse.

Wonderful. The day just kept getting better and better.

After pulling myself up, I sat on the unbelievably soft armchair which immediately wiped away my pain. I gazed into the fireplace that had appeared opposite me. The flames danced around each other, slowly sending me into a dream-like trance, which then almost turned into a sleep had I not heard a sudden _thud_ somewhere in the distance.

It was only then that I noticed the window that stretched across the length of a wall, except it wasn't transparent, it was fogged. It dawned on me then that a person had just entered the Room of Requirement, and the window prevented me from knowing who the person was. But more importantly, whoever the person was on the other side of the door has no idea who I was. Just like I asked.

I walked to the fogged glass, hoping the person on the other side would see me and do their job by making me feel better. But of course, following the recurring pattern of the day, I had no such luck. There was no response to my presence at the window so I figured I'd go back to the chair. As I was about to sit back down, I heard a wary voice say: "hello?"

Well, it was about time. I replied with a simple but expectant: "yes?"

And it was that word that was my fatal mistake. Had I simply not responded, had I just gone to sleep, had I not even wished for someone's company, I wouldn't have fallen in love for the first and last time. I would've been just fine.

**AN: And there it is, the second (and admittedly very short) chapter. The next one will have a lot more…action, I promise :D**

**=3**

**XD**


	3. Meeting

**Meeting, Loving, Departing**

**Meeting**

**AN: So, a little shout out: the original was written by MyLifeWouldSuckWithoutHeroes, and it has been brought to my attention that she was inspired by a writer who goes by the name of , so, kudos to the brilliant story called 'Sing For The Moment' (which, btw, is in fact brilliant), you should definitely go check it out!**

_"__Hello?" Hermione asked warily._

_"__Yes?" came a strangely familiar voice._

Hermione couldn't quite put her finger on where she's heard the voice before, the wall between her and mystery man was muffling his voice.

While Hermione tried to riddle it out, Draco had sauntered back to the glass, hoping to catch a glimpse clear enough of the girl to figure out who she was. Though he wanted his identity to be kept a secret, he felt uneasy not knowing who he was going to spill his guts to. He was fairly certain it wasn't anyone in Slytherin; they don't usually speak so…cautiously, there was no sign of arrogance or self-righteousness, definitely not a Slytherin. Just as well, Draco was sure that everyone in his house had heard of the Potions incident by now, and if he mentioned one word about being responsible for throwing one Pansy Parkinson into a wall, the person on the other side would know who he was.

Hermione reluctantly set her book down, all hopes for escaping her reality had vanished. She too made her way to the fog-glass, aware that whoever was on the other side was leaning against it, possibly pressing their face up against it, trying to do the exact same thing she was, make out who the other person was. Still, she acted like she always did, superior and indefinitely smarter.

"You know, there's a reason that window is fogged. I'm guessing if the Room doesn't want you to be able to see through it, there's a _slight_ chance you won't get past it." Sarcasm layered her tone.

_Hm_, Draco thought, _maybe she is a Slytherin after all..._

"And what makes you so sure I was even trying to 'get past it'?" Draco snaps, mimicking her, highly irritated with her condescending voice.

Hermione shrugged, even though Draco couldn't see the nonchalant gesture. "Why else would you be pressed up against the glass?" Draco backed off, Hermione smirked. "I'm just saying, there's no point in wasting your efforts in trying."

Draco sneered at her through the window, if only he knew who she was, that would make insulting her a lot easier. She was probably a Ravenclaw; she's seemed like the 'know-it-all' type.

"Ever think that maybe I just felt like leaning against it? Get over yourself, why would I care who you are? You mean literally nothing to me. You shouldn't even be here. I was here first and I'd appreciate it if you just left me alone."

_Why would I say that? She's _supposed _to be here, I asked for it! She's just not doing such a good job so far though…_

"Oh please! If anyone should leave, it's _you_! This Room isn't meant for surly, disgruntled boys whose girlfriends dumped them. I'm _sure_ I have a better reason for being here than you."

The word 'girlfriend' unsettled Draco, though he didn't have any kind of romantic connections with Pansy, she sure thought they did. Although he was certain those feelings were extinguished by now. He changed the topic before he could dwell on it too much.

"Why don't you just go have dinner? I'm sure the feast will be _splendid_ since the ball was on last night. By the time you go and come back, I can assure you I'll be long gone."

"Urgh, _please_ don't remind me about that atrocious ball! Those costumes repulsed me, it wasn't the fake blood that scared me, it was the patheticness. I never knew –" she almost said 'my year' but caught herself just in time, she didn't want to give away her age, "the seventh formers had it in them."

Draco was slightly taken aback by this, not because she was blatantly insulting _his_ year, but because he felt the exact same way. He obviously didn't want to agree with her, but he couldn't be bothered to lie, so he changed the topic again.

"So, about the dinner…?"

"If you think the dinner is so great, why don't _you_ go yourself? And _I_ can assure you that _I_ will be long gone by the time you're done."

"It's not happening. You have no idea why I'm here so don't pretend like you have more of a right to be here than I. Besides, I actually _can't_ go to the Great Hall; there are some people there that I just can't face right now."

"What happened? You cheat on a girl and everyone found out?" She was teasing him now, and Draco knew it, but the constant references to his 'girl' problems were playing with his temper.

"Just stop assuming things about me, okay? You know nothing, so shut up with the stupid remarks and presumptuous comments."

"Alright, calm down, if you hate talking to me so much then _why_ are you still talking to me?"

"Because I have nothing else better to do except stand here and talk to you. Not until you leave."

"So why don't you sit?" Hermione smiled to herself, knowing she was pushing his buttons just a little too much. She hoped if she messed with him enough that he'd just get sick of her and leave, that's what usually happens.

"What makes you think there's a chair here?"

"It's the Room of Requirement, smart-ass, all you need is to think of a chair and it's there."

"What makes you think I want a chair?"

Hermione hesitated. "This is turning into a completely pointless conversation."

"Wasn't it always?" He replied though Draco was mentally kicking himself, his comebacks had turned from bearably nonsensical to downright pitiable.

So, Draco sat back down on his ridiculously comfortable chair and continued his recurring pattern, he changed the topic. "Why are you here?"

"You don't get to hear that." Hermione retorted, her ears turning red with embarrassment and rage at the thought of her previous lesson.

"Why not?" Silence. Draco laughed. "You know that it's a stupid reason so you won't tell me. I get it, it's alright. I understand the shame." Draco taunted her, knowing she'd spill soon enough.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but only if you tell me why you're here."

"Typical women," Draco rolled his eyes, "alright, ladies first. What's got your wand in a knot?"

"I had a…squabble with my Transfiguration teacher –"

The mention of McGonagall made Draco stiffen. Suddenly, he had a flashback to when he actually did used to like her in 5th year, oh the visuals he used to get while sitting in her class, it made him sick now just thinking about it.

"– This landed me with a five hour detention with her on Saturday –"

"Wait, Saturday? This Saturday? At what time?"

"1:30, sharp. Why?"

"Just wondering…" Draco mused, but really he was thinking, _if I wait outside McGonagall's room just before my detention starts, I might see mystery girl leaving_…

"So, what's your big reason for being here?"

"Well, I was right; my reason does make more sense than yours." Draco gloated.

"That's not all there is to the story!" Hermione was quick to defend herself, though subconsciously knowing that there's no way for him to grasp the severity of her predicament without giving away who she is and how nonexistent detentions are for her. "This is the first detention I've had since I first stepped into this school! And it's over the _tiniest_ thing! It's completely ludicrous!" She had flopped back on the bed at this point; the soft waves calmed her overstressed mind.

Draco's eyebrows rose. "Really? Your first? Wow, coincidence."

"Why?"

"No reason, it's just…interesting. It makes more sense now why you're so frazzled over this. Although really, it's no big deal. I've heard detentions with McGonagall aren't half bad as compared to those that Gryffindors have with Snape." Draco chuckled to himself, remembering the day he and his friends had stood outside Snape's room for half an hour, laughing at every detention'ed student to walk out with pale faces and frightened eyes.

"Okay, now it's your turn."

Draco's heart clenched at her words, not because of what he was supposed to respond with, but because of the memory she sparked in him, one he tried very hard to bury:

_He was eight when he met her, with her long, straight brown hair and bright green eyes. She could be the daughter of a wood-nymph because she was so breath-taking. He met her in the woods next to his house one day. His mother always told him that if he were to see anyone in their forest, he should get rid of them immediately, no matter what it took. But, when he was face to face with her, he just couldn't get himself to do it; he couldn't get rid of her. But he knew that she would never talk to him unless he had something to offer, or something to take from her. So he threatened her._

_She was frolicking near a lake when he approached her, he tapped her on the shoulder and expected her to jump around in surprise, but she didn't move. She didn't even acknowledge him, that's when he noticed her looking at his reflection in the lake, she was smiling._

"_You shouldn't be here," was the first thing he said. He regretted starting with such a reproachful line, but knew she wouldn't take him seriously if he was overly kind to her._

"_Why not?" She enquired, still smiling at his reflection._

"_This is –" _what's the word mum uses? _He asked himself, _oh yes_: "private property. It belongs to my family. By rights, you're not allowed to be here." He stated, quoting word for word what his mother once said to a Squib she found nosing through the garbage bins next to their mansion._

"_It's a forest, trees are living, and you don't own them. Tell me something, Mr. Malfoy, do your parents own you?"_

"…_Yes?" He answered. Her thin, delicate eyebrows raised, her expression was amused now, but still facing down into the water. "Well, no," he quickly took back what he said, "but they are my parents, no one is ever going to own me more than them."_

"_And your parents also the parents to these trees?"_

"_No?"_

"_Exactly, so how do they own them? Why are they their 'private property', what gives _them_ the right?"_

_Draco was at a loss for words. He knew he wouldn't win this particular battle, so he changed the topic. "What's your name? How old are you?"_

_She finally turned, slowly though. She never met his eyes; she stared at her own bare feet. "My name is Celestiel, I'm twelve years old. Can I stay here?"_

"_What about your parents? What about your home?"_

_She sniffled. "My parents just died in a fire, the fire was in my house, and it burned down. I lived a few miles away from here, I was just so captivated by this beautiful forest, I felt drawn to it. So I came here, and then you showed up."_

_Draco was again at a loss for words, he had no idea what she was going through, or how she was staying so strong. Though she was older than he was, she was still young, how was she coping?_

"_I'm so sorry, Celestiel. Do you mind if I ask you a question?"_

"_Sure, why not?"_

"_How…how did you get in here?" That wasn't actually what he wanted to ask, but he felt like too much of a stranger to ask her what he was really wondering._

_She smiled again, it was a smile directed to herself, as if she had some great inside joke that only she knew. "I know a few tricks I've picked up over the last year. Would you like to see one?"_

_Draco grinned, happy to have gotten her in a better mood. "Sure!"_

_She sat down on the grassy ground, Draco reluctantly followed suit, trying to figure out how he'd explain the mess to his mother. She held her hands out in front of her, just a few inches away from Draco. Her fingers twitched, her palms facing the twigs on the floor. Suddenly, several pieces of broken branches and leaves started _levitating_ in the air. Draco's first reaction was scared, he almost fell over. He knew of the existence of magic, but never had he seen anyone younger than his parents use it, let alone a twelve year old._

_For the first time, Celestiel looked up, that was when Draco got his first real, non-reflected glimpse of her jade eyes, they were so deep that he felt he could fall into them. Her smile broadened at his expression._

"_Okay," she said, "now it's your turn."_

And with those simple words, Draco trusted Ms. Mystery, he knew it was stupid, it was a random choice of words that anyone could use, but he couldn't help it, something about her reminded him of that young girl, the girl who was his first real friend. And his last.

"Hey?" She jolted him back to reality. "You still there?"

"Yeah, yes, I just remembered something."

"Okay, so, what is it? What the big reason?"

"Why are you so persistent? What if I don't tell you? Will you hex me until I tell you? Oh wait, that's right, you _can't_ because you can't even see me!"

Draco meant it as a very light-hearted comment, but Hermione was getting irritated. It was only after this comment that Hermione recognized the feeling she got when she was talking to him, it was an irrational frustration, like talking to a spoiled child, or rather, like talking to a Slytherin. That's when it hit her; she knew then that she was definitely conversing with a Slytherin…and she was instantly repulsed.

"For your information, Slytherin boy, not all spells required the speaker to have eye contact with the hexee, so, yes; technically, I could hex you even though there's this bloody barrier. Convinced?"

Suddenly, Draco was very intimidated by Ms. Mystery, he quickly corrected himself. "Okay, okay, I was just joking, no need for threats. I'll tell you why – wait, did you just say 'Slytherin boy'? How did you know?"

"Honestly? Do you even have to ask that? You might not notice it, but it's very obvious, I can practically smell your Slytherininess from here. You reek of it. And then there's the inflated ego, which doesn't really help your case right now."

Just then, with the countered quick remarks and the snappy observations, Draco knew he was talking to a Gryffindor. Only they hated Slytherins so much.

"Oh really? Well about yourself, _Gryffindor girl_? You people think you're so great, so bloody superior because you're _oh so brave_, well guess what? You people are pathetic. The most 'iconic' people in your house are those stupid fools in the 'Golden Trio', The-Chosen-Idiot, Weasel-bee, and of course that prudish book-worm. You have nothing to look forward to except _failure_."

"Okay now, no need to get so touchy about it. You know, it's not nice insulting people when –" She stopped herself just before mentioning that he was insulting the girl who was on the other side of the glass. "Never mind, so, what were you saying, before the threats? Why are you here?"

He took a deep breath, knowing that one slip of the tongue would fully expose him. "Basically, I got into a fight with this…person. She publicized something very private about myself to an entire class so I accidentally used a spell on her which sent her flying across the room, and I probably landed her in a coma. I then proceeded to receive a detention from my professor, which, coincidentally, is also going to be my first detention ever. So I came here, to, you know, relax. Then you showed up, and then I thought: _so much for peace and quiet_. And, well, you know the rest from there."

After finishing his little story, Draco could've sworn he heard the Gryffindor Girl giggle. It scared him; it reminded him so much of the soft laugh that would sometimes escape Celestiel's little pink lips, his heart melted in his chest. Then he realized that he was thinking about a _Gryffindor_! The idea revolted him, but somehow, he couldn't help it. Just as he couldn't help befriending that beautiful girl in the woods. It was after he made the connection that he understood his reaction to the Gryffindor Girl, it was only after that almost inaudible giggle that he truly grasped what it was that kept clouding his better judgment.

Love.

**AN: Any of you who read the original would know that the whole 'Celestiel in the woods thing' wasn't in the first version, I was just a little thing I added in. It was recommended that there be a reason for Draco's…almost kindness towards her, so I figured what better reason than delving into his past?  
>PLEASE take two minutes out of your time to review, I really need to know what people think of this, if there's anything that should be added, or if I should stop doing something, or even just a suggestion to lay off the OOCness. I find it a lot easier to write when I'm inspired, that's why I like challenges so much :P<strong>

**Please REVIEW!**

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**PS: SING FOR THE MOMENT by (remember to read!)**

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><strong>


	4. Just About Friends

**Meeting, Loving, Departing**

**Just About Friends**

**AN: Finally reached 150+ reads :D … and I have 5 reviews. Seriously, guys, please, review. The more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to update faster :D So please, please just take a minute to drop a little opinion in, possibly just a thought or something you'd like to see for future reference. I know you guys are out there and it would mean a lot if I knew what my readers wanted, anywayss, ENJOY!**

**Hermione's POV**

"So, wait, back up a minute; let's see if I got this right. Your 'friend' said something that annoyed you, and because of that, you threw her against a wall? When did this happen?" I had actually become quite scared at this point; this guy seemed to have some major anger management issues.

"Well, you're just about right. You're probably thinking I'm insane, or evil, or probably both, but look, you don't understand. She exposed one of my deepest secrets to an entire class! She told them about my crush on McGon – damnit!"

"_You_ have a crush on McGonagall? I mean…_you_? Really? Dear Merlin, that's…surprising."

"No, no, no! I _had_, I had a crush on her. It was a long time ago!"

"Well, I think that actually makes it worse since you were so young when she's…you know old. Speaking of which, no offense, but I think she might be a little _too_ old for you." I smirked, knowing that this was torturing him.

"Hey, listen up, Gryffindor Girl; I said _had_, I obviously don't still like her. That's gross. Besides, can't you imagine her as being, you know, young, and possibly pretty?"

"She's like a century old! She's _ancient_!"

"Well, when you put it like _that_…" Slytherin Boy trailed off, blatantly embarrassed by this new piece of information.

I couldn't help a giggle, though I was genuinely trying to suppress any form of laughter. I was sure the last thing he needed was mockery. "So, when did this happen?"

He was silent for a few seconds, probably trying to pick and choose his words carefully. Finally, he spoke up.

"Potions." He said simply. _Wow_, I thought to myself, his position just got a whole lot worse. I burst out laughing.

"So not only did you make a fellow classmate comatose, but you also did this in front of Snape? Do you have some sort of death wish? Your detention is going to be Hell in Hogwarts. Just be thankful you're not a Gryffindor."

"Trust me; I thank Merlin for that _every_ day." _Such a Slytherin_.

"Hey, how about this idea? You get off that high horse of yours and tell me more about this little adventure you had? So, this 'highly trustworthy' friend of yours said you have a crush on –"

"What did I say about the 'past tense' section of this story?" He demanded.

"Sorry, sorry. Anyway, he said you-know-what which made you angry, understandably, then you used a spell on her and she went flying across Snape's classroom?" I let out a soft chuckle, trying to imagine the scenario in my head, but mostly picturing Snape's face. "Then you got detenion'ed by Snape, and then you came here."

"Yeah, just about."

"Just one thing I'm not sure about…"

"Wow, you really mustn't be the smart-ass Gryffindor-slash-Ravenclaw that I thought you were if there's _anything_ you could possibly not know at this point. I've told you everything already."

Something about the Slytherin Boy reminded me of someone I knew, I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it was irritating me, his identity was literally on the tip of my tongue.

"No need to be a stuck-up snob, I know it's just an act."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're more transparent than a bride's veil despite the fact that I can't even see you. It's obvious that you just put up a charade in front of people so they can never know what you're really like. The less people know you, the less chance there is of them hurting you. You obviously let this 'friend' get too close and know too much and she betrayed you, therefore reinforcing your theory that guarding yourself and acting like you don't care will stop yourself from ever getting hurt like you did today." Silence followed this little speech, and I knew that I had gotten him, that I was exactly on spot.

Then he did what I knew he would, he covered up his shock and changed the subject, this seemed to be his hobby for the night.

"So, what was that question?"

"Who was it who spilled the beans and in turn got thrown across a dungeon?"

"And why would I tell you that?"

I smirked, _like a mouse to cheese_. "So are you admitting that you haven't in fact told me everything which is contradictory to what you said before which was, and I quote 'I've told you everything already'?"

He outwardly groaned, I couldn't quite tell if it was because of frustration with me and my knowledge prowess or because he knew I caught him out…or both.

"What I meant was I told you everything that you _had_ to know. Why does it matter who she is? All you need to know about her is that she's an untrustworthy, pathetic slut."

I giggled. "Now it sounds like you're describing Daphne Greengrass." I contemplated the idea for a second, and then dismissed it, there must've been a hundred and one bimbos in Slytherin, there was no way he was talking about this particular one.

"Who?" _Definitely not Greengrass_.

"Nevermind, so, come on, just tell me."

"Only if you tell me who you are first." He replied defiantly.

"Please, who's the girl now? Stop being such a Hufflepuff and _tell_ _me already_. And it might have escaped your notice, genius. But we're in Hogwarts. The rumour is going to get around and I am going to hear about it, so you might as well not bother hiding it. You might as well tell me now rather than me hearing it from some random stranger off the hallway."

He sighed. "You're probably right." He declared in a surrendered voice.

"Ha! I always am."

"Alright, no need to get so righteous. And _no one_ is always right."

"Don't you think that's a little hypocritical coming from you? I mean, considering how inflated the egos of Slytherins are? You people actually do think you're always right. And none of you are, but I am."

"You may think you're right, you may _know_ you're right, but that's only when you're speaking from your heart. When you base all your knowledge off your brain's capacity, you're probably wrong. But you know in your heart how the rumour-mill works in this bloody school, _that's_ why you're right. But that doesn't mean you're always right."

"Okay, so, I have absolutely no idea what you just said, but I did catch the part about me being right this time. That in mind, you want to just tell me who the hell this girl is?"

"Alright, fine, but only because I just know you'll find out eventually." I prepared myself, practically hyperventilating in anticipation. "Pansy Parkinson, know her?"

"What? How can you be friends with that spoiled brat? Wait…you're a seventh former?" I reveled in this new information, _so, Slytherin Boy is in my year and 'friends' with Parkinson, this drastically shortens the list of Slytherins he could be_, I thought to myself.

"Well…yes. But she's not really my friend, she just sort of follows me around, or at least, she used to. I'm sure that'll stop now, she was like a puppy, minus the cuteness and the inability to speak English."

That's when my stomach grumbled and I realized just how hungry I was. I then chose to do something I always promised I never would, I told the Slytherin Boy I'd be right back and scurried to the door. I opened it a crack and stuck my head out, whispering a short two-syllable name. I waited and a few seconds later there was a loud _crack_. Dobby, the house-elf, appeared before me, bowing instantly at the sight of me.

"No, Dobby, stop that please. Look, I hate to have to ask you for this, but see, I sort of missed dinner, and now I'm ridiculously hungry, and I was wondering if, and only if, there were any leftovers if you could bring it up here?"

"Absolutely! Miss Granger needn't ask Dobby twice, Miss Granger is friend to Harry Potter, Miss Granger is kind to elves. Dobby will go, Dobby will come back fast!" He said enthusiastically. He left with another loud _crack_.

"Thank you!" I yelled after him, hoping that will all his declarations of my name that Slytherin Boy didn't pick up on it. If there was one thing that I hated, it was being at a disadvantage, and something told me that Mr. Slytherin had more or less the same feelings as me.

I wasn't kept waiting. A few mere moments away, Dobby reappeared with a large tray that seemed too heavy for him. There were two silver plates and one bowl on the tray, all covered with an enchantment to contain the heat. I quickly removed the load from Dobby's frail arms, motivated by both my hunger and my (almost) irrational care for magical creatures, especially elves. Before I could thank him again, Dobby bowed and vanished again, leaving me standing there almost astonished at his speed. I turned and reentered the Room, setting the tray down on a long table that had miraculously appeared. I removed all the enchantments and stared in awe and the food, one large roast chicken, one plate of bread and a bowl of hot, carrot soup.

"I'm back." I said to the boy on the opposite side of the Room. "So, yes, you were saying about Parkinson being a bitch?"

"What?" He said, flabbergasted.

"You said she was like a puppy. A dog, and she's female. So a female dog, therefore a bitch." I smiled, bits of bread crumbs falling out of my mouth.

"Oh, well, yes. That's pretty much it. You're right, she's a spoiled brat. Then again, how many Slytherins aren't?"

This time it was full fledged laughter. "Touché. You know what's really strange?"

"What? That Pansy even had time to tear her gaze away from her manicured nails in order to expose me in front of an entire class?"

"Well, that, and," I took a bite of the chicken, my mouth watering at the perfect, crispy taste. "I've only known you for a little while and yet I'm speaking to you in a way that I never speak to anyone, besides my closest of friends."

"Aren't I your friend?"

And with that, I practically choked on my chicken, my yummy roasted chicken!

**AN: So, what do you think? PLEASE review, it really will help with the speed of updates :D Also, I would really like to know what you guys want of me, like, what you want to read. So **_**please**_** review!**

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	5. Same Time, Same Place Tomorrow?

**Meeting, Loving, Departing**

**AN: Hey, sorry for the slight delay, I promise I'll work on it, and thanks for the reviews :D  
>PS: thanks Critic007, you've been incredibly helpful and inspired a coming chapter =)<strong>

**Chapter 5 - Same Time, Same Place Tomorrow?**

**Draco's POV**

"_Well, aren't I your friend?" I asked her._

_Call me strange, but I swear I heard her choke on something!_

"Hey, you okay? You don't sound so good."

After an eternity, she finally replied, "yeah, I'm good, it's just, the wind caught in my throat and," she paused to cough, "it caught me off guard."

I stared up at the ceiling, perfectly aware that there was no wind in the Room. I knew she was just taken aback by my last comment, hell; _I_ was taken aback by it. It was like word vomit, it came out before I could stop it, and then I regretted it. But I decided not to dwell on it or point out to the Gryffindorian her mistake.

"Right, yes, well, that makes _perfect_ sense." I tried to drain out the sarcasm, but I didn't do such a hot job.

"No! Really, it had nothing to do with you!" Another thing I learned about her, she couldn't lie to save her life. I knew that if I was face-to-face with her, she'd be blushing.

"It's okay, I understand. It's not every day that some random Slytherin declares you as his friend, trust me, I get it."

"Seriously, it's not that, I _so_ didn't choke because, you, you know, said what you said. It wasn't like that! It's just, you know, _Slytherins_, they're like, arrogant, and self-centered, and they don't care about anyone but themselves! And I just," she started mumbling, "I didn't realize you were even capable to feel the same way I did."

"Hey! Not _all_ Slytherins are arrogant and self-centered! Only, like, most of them. And besides –" that's when I really heard what she said. "Wait, 'feel that same way' you did? You mean you; I mean _you_ also see me as like, you know, a…friend?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say it like _that_, but, yeah. More or less. But it's ridiculous because we've only known each other for like," I could almost visualize her checking her watch before exclaiming: "OH MY MERLIN! Is _that_ the time? We have _five_ minutes until we'd get unbelievably screwed for staying out so late. If Filch catches me, I'd just die! I _can't_ take two detentions in one day!"

I couldn't help a chuckle at her distress. "Who's the idiot now?" I taunted mockingly.

"Now it _not_ the time! Can't you tell I'm having a nervous breakdown?"

"Oh no, it's not obvious _at all_." I think this only freaked her out even more. "But come on, rationally speaking, this _is_ the Room of Requirement, all you need is to 'require' a secret passageway back to your dorms ensuring Filch doesn't catch you and you'll be fine." I mimicked her 'know-it-all' tone, hoping it would irritate her as much as it did me.

"Wow, yeah, I completely forgot about that. You're actually quite smart, you know that?"

And before I could help it, I felt myself being engulfed into another memory of the girl in the woods…

_I'd been meeting her for a few weeks now, bringing her provisions like food and clothing. I had borrowed some of my mother's old things that I knew she's never wear again and stole snacks from the kitchen, knowing those pesky elves wouldn't dare rat me out because they knew that would backfire on them and make it look like they were stealing. I hadn't told Celestiel of my unconventional methods of keeping her alive because it was obvious she'd disapprove, but she was fully aware that my parents didn't know anything about her, and that was how I intended to keep it._

_She knew as well as I that my parents wouldn't be as forthcoming about her practically living in our backyard as I was, despite how easy she was on the eyes. She might be beautiful, but, as I soon came to know, a half-breed living off the Malfoys wouldn't sit too well with them. So we kept our rendezvous' a secret._

_It was a couple of months after our arrangement began that I noticed the scars and scratches. I expected she'd tell me about them, but she never did, so I confronted her myself._

"_Celestiel?" I approached her one day._

"_Hm?" She looked up from the twigs that lay on the floor and were currently making patterns in the soil without her even touching them. __Magic. Her clear eyes pierced my own, sending shivers down my spine._

"_What are those?" I gestured my thumb at her legs which seemed to have fresh new cuts on them._

_She quickly pulled the hem of her silk dress over her knees. "Nothing." She brushed it away with her hand, the motion sent a few branches flying away._

"_Celestiel, I know 'nothing', that's certainly not 'nothing'." I scrutinised her. "I thought you said you were used to sleeping in the woods?"_

_She glanced up enthusiastically. "I am! My family and I went camping _all_ the time!" Celestiel went back to messing with the rocks and grass._

_I caught her in her white lie. "Camping? You mean like with tents and sleeping bags?" Silence. I knew that meant a 'yes'. I sighed and sat down next to her. By this point, sitting on dirt had become a usual occurrence for me, so I wasn't even bothered by it. "You should've told me Celestiel, you should've told me that sleeping on the hard ground was hurting you."_

_She shook her head sadly. "You've given me so much, Draco. You're the reason I'm alive. You feed me, you clothe me, you practically _bathe_ me! How can I ask any more of you? I will never be able to repay you for your kindness, the least I can do is focus on what I have rather than what I wish I had." More of her usual philosophical crap._

"_Lestie, I care about you, I give you clothes and food because I _want_ you alive and happy. Well, I can never make you happy, but I can certainly try. If you're in pain, or if whatever your living conditions are are less than satisfactory, I want to be able to help. I'll do anything." I gave her my most sincere look, but she turned away._

"_Draco, I'm living in a forest with hooting owls and biting ants. Satisfactory is a long way away, but these 'conditions' are liveable, and for now, that's enough. And you are helping, as I said, you're keeping me alive, that's more than what I could've hoped for at this point had I been alone." She took my hand, her warmth radiating through my veins. "Thank you, Draco, thank you for saving my life, and thank you for being the only one on the planet who cares about me. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."_

_I stood up abruptly, brushing off the leaves from my pants, trying to remove any evidence of my visit. I pulled Celestiel up and looked her square in the eyes, though I had to tiptoe slightly. She was a few centimetres taller than me, much to my mortification. "You're coming with me." I headed back for the Mansion, but when I stopped hearing the constant rhythm of her delicate footsteps, I turned around to see where she was. She was right behind me._

"_Where are you taking me?"_

"_Home. You're staying in the Malfoy Mansion."_

"_No, Draco, you just don't get it, do you?" This was her favourite line, I lost count of how many times she'd said this to me. "I can't take any more from you, and I know introducing myself to your folks will _not_ go over well for you. I can't place you in any trouble, and I certainly can't live in your house without causing a mess."_

"_Celestiel, just stop talking for a second and listen to me. There's a basement in my house, it's more like a wine cellar, but there's a little room tucked away in it with a tiny bed and bathroom. It's small, but it's better than out here." I regarded the forest with disgust, though I had become very fond of the musky scent and peaceful atmosphere._

"_But I _like_ 'out here'! It's beautiful and quiet and, best of all, there's almost no chance of getting caught! It wouldn't be right for me to stay with you."_

"_Listen to me, Lestie, and this time, really listen, I want to help you. Whether you want my help or not, I don't really care. The point it, you're my friend, and I've watched movies, I know what friends do for each other, they help each other. So, you're going to sneak in the back door and go down those stairs and you _will_ stay there, or so help me Merlin, I will drag you back myself."_

"_And how do you suppose we'll get in undetected?"_

_I pulled out a small cloak from my robe pocket. "I got this from my father's room, it's got a Disillusionment charm on it." She raised her thin, golden eyebrows. "Camouflage, basically." I smiled triumphantly._

_She shook her head again, but this time with amusement. "You know something, Draco Malfoy? You're actually quite smart." She grinned, flashing me her brilliant, white teeth._

I pulled myself back to the present, shaking out of the temporary, but painful, reverie.

"Well, thanks. But we should probably end the compliments around now and start leaving." Yes, I was trying to put some distance between us, I would miss her, but she slightly scared me, she reminded me too much of the girl who broke my heart, and being near her and listening to her hurt me too much to bear at the moment.

She giggled softly, and again, I mentally kicked myself for falling for a Gryffindork. It was appalling, and for all I knew, she could've been (Merlin forbid) friends with the Boy-Who-Just-Couldn't-Shut-Up-And-Die and that pathetic Weasel.

"I don't suppose you want to come back? As in, like, with me?" She quietly suggested, obviously frightened of being rejected. Normally I would've rejoiced in the chance to emotionally damage a Gryffindor, but somehow, a completely different set of words escaped my mouth.

"Sure, when?"

"Same time, same place tomorrow?" She offered.

I groaned. "Can't, detention with Snape will definitely run through 8. Unless I say I'm ill…"

"No, trust me, he won't let you leave unless you're actually ill and have proof."

"I can take care of that, I'll just snag a few of those Puking Pastiles from Weasel-bee, I'm sure the Weasley twins have supplied him with a handy stash." It may not have been the smartest thing to insult a handful of people in her house, even though it probably didn't matter, there was almost no way she was that girl who's name sounded like a Gin & Tonic, so she hopefully wouldn't take much note of it.

**Hermione's POV**

"That could work, but only if you're _very_ good at covering it up. But, just in case, wait until like 8:30, then eat them. So, meet here at nine?"

He laughed; the sound gave me goose bumps. "Definitely, nine. That's it then, goodnight Gryffindor Girl."

"Night, Slytherin Boy. I'll see you tomorrow, or, you know, whatever this is called." I smiled.

Even though I couldn't see him, I knew he was smiling too.

Just as I though about needing an escape passageway, I heard a grinding on the other side of the fogged glass. A dark tunnel formed before my eyes. I whispered softly, "I'll miss you," I knew he couldn't hear me, but I meant it. Somehow, I'd come to like the unique Slytherin, despite his house. So there was the odd person every now and then, like that vile Draco Malfoy, who cast aspersions on a house, it obviously didn't mean that _all_ Slytherins were like him. Some were different, some like my Slytherin Boy.

I worked my way through the tunnel, having to climb a few short stairs was a small feat to pay in exchange for not getting caught by Filch. In fact, the tunnel led me to one of the portraits _inside_ the Common Room itself, I didn't even have to face the Fat Lady. I hoped that the Slytherin Boy had the same luck as I did.

After scurrying up to my room and changing into my nightgown, I lay down in my bed and fell asleep almost immediately, ignoring the piles of unfinished essays on my nightstand.

That night, I dreamt of possible appearances of the Slytherin Boy, the first image that came to mind was dark brown hair and blue eyes, possible with a tan. I thought of Theodore Nott, but dismissed it after remembering that he didn't even take Potions.

I even ruled out the chocolate-colored hair and the warm eyes after recalling that he referred to the Weasley's as the 'Weasel-bees'. No one could look so nice and welcoming if they had such a sour personality and grim outlook on life. Someone like that would have to look something like Malfoy, only; hopefully Slytherin Boy's eyes wouldn't be filled with such hate and malice. The thought of _my_ Slytherin Boy even being acquainted with Malfoy made me scowl in my sleep.

After all, it's not everyday that you find a Slytherin who's not like Draco Malfoy. It's even rarer to find yourself falling in love with one.

**AN: And your opinion is…? Please review! I'm finding this new writing roll I'm on to be quite interesting :P I hope I don't lose it!  
>Constructive criticism is much needed and loved!<strong>

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